We will be reading a variety of 19th Century women writers' works in the Basement in celebration.

This week, we are reading the poetry of Julia A. Moore, also known as The Sweet Singer of Michigan. Her 1876 collection of truly awful poetry sold like hotcakes, and received many tongue-in-cheek reviews from the likes of Mark Twain and Bill Nye.

By 1878, Moore realized that people were laughing at her, and her second set of poems did not sell at all as the public grew tired of her.

In many ways, she was the predecessor to public figures such as Mrs. Miller and Tiny Tim.

Our 1876 Moore piece today is a tribute in verse to the 1871 'Great Chicago Fire.'

A hint to new listeners - you can use the catalogs to find stories by specific authors, or just type their name in the keyword search field. To find some of the best stories in the Basement, simply click here!

-- By the way, if you haven't noticed, you can get the episode by either clicking on the word 'POD' on top of this section, or on the filename on the bottom where it says 'Direct Download' or by clicking on the Victrola picture, or by subscribing in iTunes.